New Zealand ODIs: Focus on struggling Rishabh Pant

Bengaluru: All eyes will be on the selection meeting this Saturday, when India’s selectors sit down to finalise the 15-member ODI squad for the upcoming three-match series against New Zealand, which begins on January 11 in Vadodara. The choices they make, especially around Rishabh Pant and Mohammed Siraj, are expected to spark plenty of discussion.

At first glance, a major overhaul seems unlikely. The squad that comfortably beat South Africa not long ago has done little wrong, and continuity usually appeals to this selection panel. Still, there are a couple of areas where the Ajit Agarkar-led committee may feel compelled to take a closer look.

One of them is Pant’s role as the second wicketkeeper. His place isn’t as straightforward as it once was. Ishan Kishan has been in destructive form in the middle order for Jharkhand, while Dhruv Jurel recently announced himself with a massive “Daddy Hundred” for Uttar Pradesh in domestic cricket. Those performances inevitably raise questions.

Both Agarkar and head coach Gautam Gambhir have consistently stressed the importance of balance and role clarity. That philosophy has already shaped their choices in T20Is, where they’ve preferred wicketkeepers who can open the batting, such as Sanju Samson and Kishan. In ODIs, though, the requirement is different. The keeper is expected to bat in the middle order, typically at No. 5 or 6, and hold the innings together.

Pant hasn’t had much opportunity to make that case recently. Since Gambhir took over as head coach, he has featured in just one ODI between July 2024 and December 2025. Overall, he has played only 31 ODIs in eight years, averaging under 35, numbers that hardly do justice to his ability or temperament. Even critics would admit that, at his best, Pant offers more match-changing impact than either Kishan or Jurel.

That said, his decision-making in the recent Guwahati Test loss to South Africa didn’t impress the management. Still, dropping him without an extended run could raise uncomfortable questions about consistency in selection.

The fast-bowling combination is the other area likely to be debated. With an eye on the T20 World Cup, Hardik Pandya and Jasprit Bumrah are expected to be rested. That opens the door to rotation, but will the selectors also give a breather to Harshit Rana and Arshdeep Singh, both of whom featured against South Africa?

It will be interesting to see if a struggling Rishabh Pant (left) retains his second wicketkeeper place while chances of Mohammed Siraj

Siraj’s situation is particularly intriguing. Left out of the Champions Trophy squad due to “conditions,” he played in Australia before being overlooked for the South Africa series. He hasn’t appeared in the first four rounds of the Vijay Hazare Trophy either, though he could turn out for Hyderabad later. Considering he was a regular in India’s ODI setup until the 2023 World Cup, his recent absence is puzzling.

As for Mohammed Shami, he has been active for Bengal across formats, but some believe his best days at the international level may be behind him. Clear communication between him and the selectors has also been lacking.

Strong domestic performances from Sarfaraz Khan and Devdutt Padikkal have caught the eye, but opportunities are limited. With Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill and Yashasvi Jaiswal locked in, Padikkal’s chances look slim. Sarfaraz has been outstanding, yet Ruturaj Gaikwad’s recent century against South Africa has put him ahead in the pecking order.